North West Scene • Latest

Home Latest Links Archive Videos Contact Spring 2008

	23.07.2009 Thanks again for all your best wishes and can I take this opportunity to explain that this website will never return to what it used to be I'm afraid. I have however been touring the countryside recently and was drawn to the new Welsh Highland Railway whilst in Wales this week. Garret No. 87 departs from Caernarfon with a service to the temporary terminus at Hafod Y Llyn. As a boy I used to look at the old Ordnance Survey maps showing the course of the the railway through the Aberglasslyn Pass and never dreamt I would travel on it in the future. Click on the image for a shot of the train near Rhydd Ddu.
	The other train working this day was handled by Garret No.2 double heading with the diesel, seen here in the Bedgellert Forest.

	6.7.2009 I missed 47739 in COLAS colours heading north to Carlisle today with an empty log wagon, which would have been a bit different, so here is a picture of 31602 Driver Dave Green propelling a test train into the DGL at Oxenholme earlier today.

	2.7.2009 Guess what made me spring out of my deckchair again today. West Coast Railway's 37516 runs into the DGL at Oxenholme with a couple of SRPS coaches no doubt bound for Bo'ness. An ideal opportunity to thank the many people who have e-mailed me with their best wishes and encouragement. I am amazed at your loyalty and although I can't promise you a daily update, it might be worth taking a look every now and then.

	1.7.2009 I don't know if anybody still looks at this site but this is the first update in two months. Considering I used to update everyday is an indication of how disillusioned I have become about the hobby. It dosn't help that due to my health I can't get to locations I would like to. So sitting in the back garden watching the tennis, an opportunity arose to illustrate my frustrations. 57314 in Arriva livery (froth) runs into to the UGL at Oxenholme with the Carlisle-Chirk logs. Click on image for a full screen shot through the knitting !

	25.04.2009 40145 heads over Dandrymire with the Settle & Carlisle Explorer from Ruislip to Carlisle.
	I picked the wrong leg to video here. Due to a TSR at Low Gill, 40145 was thrashing nicely as she lifted the return excursion up the slight rise to Grayrigg loops.

	22.04.2009 92003 climbs away from Oxenholme with the Dollands Moor-Irvine china clay tanks this morning.
	and 37610+37612 return to Sellafield with one flask from Heysham this afternoon.

	20.04.2009 Glorious weather in Cumbria over the past few days but little opportunity or inclination to get out to the railway line. 92021 with a well loaded 6X12 Carlisle-Eastleigh runs downhill at Rowell. Click on image to enlarge.
	Unable to get out for the excursions this weekend, here is a clip of 6233 on the S&C back in July 2005 seen at Lunds, Armathwaite and Birkett (left)

	08.04.2009 There were photopgraphers popping out of the woodwork today in Cumbria as first this light engine movement from Bury to Glasgow involving 45231+45047 headed north, seen just north of Oxenholme......
	...Then the Preston-Glasgow leg of the Great Britain II tour followed behind 46115 making a sprited attack of Grayrigg Bank, away from the loop at Oxenholme.

	7.04.2009 A run up to Greenholme this afternoon to capture this extra Freightliner working From Crewe to Coatbridge behind 86613+86607. Click on image to enlarge.


Note for anybody out for 46115 on Thursday. Hidden by the dry stone wall are 4 or 5 green portakabins left by the contractors. Could mess up your shot or video.

	4.04.2009 Another look back to four years ago when a predominately cloudy day saw this Leeds-Carlisle Dalesman excursion heading north at Ribblehead and returning south at Aisgill (left) behind 45407.

	31.03.2009 The last day of March and the first real Spring day in South Cumbria with a bit more light now the clocks have been moved forward. You might have seen this shot before but it is today's 6J37 log train passing the daffodils at Rowell this afternoon.
	And now running an hour earlier than last year, the 6X12 Carlisle-Eastleigh Enterprise runs past the camera at Docker behind 92013.
	86612 + 86622 follows with the 4M74 Coatbridge-Crewe 'liner
	And more A/C power in the form of 87002 with the 1M44 Sheildmuir-Warrington mail. A nice couple of hours at the lineside but you have to be lucky. Back to some archive video clips tomorrow. Click on images to enlarge

	28.03.2009 A busy Saturday noon at Garsdale Troughs back in May 2005 with 66066 on an unidentified sb coal train, 66512 on a 6E36 Hunterston-Ferrybridge (left). 66046 on the diverted 6S55 Burngullow-Irvine china clay tanks, 76079+45407 on a Kings Cross-Carlisle charter and 60099 on the 6E13 gypsum empties.
	And my first lineside shot for a while. Probably not the best location southbound at Docker, with steam obscuring the train, but only a few minutes from my house so not much effort needed to capture 6233 on its first appearance this year in Cumbria on a Worcester-Carlisle tour.

	26.03.2009 One of the more pleasant locations for linesiding before it was ruined by paling fencing was "On the rocks" at Hest Bank where the WCML briefly skirts the seashore. A sunny afternoon in May 2005 sees a variety of traffic.66066 on an unidentified 66512 on a 6E36 -Ferrybridge. 66046 on the 6S55 Burngullow-Irvine china 76079+45407 on a Kings -Carlisle charter and 60099 on the E13 gypsum empties.

	25.03.2009 Now but a memory in this neck of the woods, 60058 climbs Shap with the morning Crewe-Carlisle 6C02 infrastructure train back on 12.5.2005.

	23.03.2009 An example of how busy it used to be, this is just two hours at Strickland on the south bound climb to Shap, back on 11.5.2005

	21.03.2009 Accompanied by the clucking of chickens in the the Quarry, 48151 emerges from Moorcock Tunnel and traverses Lunds Pasture with a Hellifield-Carlisle Dalesman excursion back in 10.6.2007

	19.03.2009 Another rapid climb of Shap comes from this combination of 45231+62005 on a Carnforth-Fort William ecs working back in May 2007 .

	18.03.2009 Steam will be returning to Shap soon for the first time since acceleration of the WCML timetable. Showing just what she is capable of doing, 6233 storms through Rowell at the commencement of the climb to Grayrigg with the first leg of the Great Britain railtour back in April 2007.

	16.03.2009 Thank you for all the messages of support I have received over the last few days. I am feeling a bit better at the moment but I will have to confine my activities to archive material from now on I think. The clip from two years ago features a damp midday at Hest Bank with a Trafford Park to Grangemouth intermodal, an ecs for WCRC and the 6C51 Sellafield-Heysham flask train peeling off the mainline and heading along the Morecambe Branch.

	04.03.2009 Well March has come round and the days are getting longer but freight traffic up here seems to be mirroring the state of the economy. My own personal problems seem to be matching those of Jade Goodies so I can't get out lineside anyway. In the meantime, another archive clip from 2007 with 48151 on a Cumbrian Coast excursion in May, disturbing the peace at the Bird Reserve near Silverdale and (left) restarting from Grange later in the day.

	22.02.2009 Apologies for no updates recently but I hope to be out and about again soon. Not that there has been much to photograph in the area anyway so here are a couple of clips from early on in 2007 with 61994 out on a test run and 48151 heading for Scotland with stock from Carnforth.

	14.02.2009 Plenty of steam excursions for this Valentine Day weekend but nothing in the north of the country, so a look back in the archives to this Dalesman tour from Manchester to Newcastle in 2005 with 76079+45407

	12.02.2009 Housebound today and I noticed that the Class 60 fleet has once more been reduced to a handfull of operational locos. This has occured in the past of course and then it was the S&C gypsum turns that suffered in this area. So another trawl through the archives for some evocative clips including left, 60011 at Birkett, although the first clip is of a diverted 6M46 Redcar to Hardendale empty limestone behind 60044 at Garsdale.

	1.02.2009 The forecasted snow hasn't reached here yet but falls are expected overnight. A few clips from February four years ago, filmed on the S&C, should set you in the mood.

	30.01.2009 Of all the archive stuff I have uploaded to Youtube recently, the 37s must be the most popular. In a clip dating from the 2nd of July 2003, 37659 with 56115 dit climbs Shap with a 7C73 Bescot to Carlisle enterprise working.

	With a total absence of AC locomotives in the daytime on this section of the WCML, a look back to some screaming 86s and 90s from five years ago.

	A compilation of clips of gypsum trains on the S&C four winters ago when the Class 60 was the regular performer.

	Filmd four years ago, three of the regular DRS trains to be seen on the Furness line. The 6C51 Heysham flasks, the 6C20 Runcorn-Sellafield acid tanks and left, the 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe, now retimed to pass through the area in the dark.

	A look back at some winter-time Northern Belles from the past. Seen on the Furness Line, at Copy Pit and on the WCML, one wonders if the recession will hit these high priced dining tours over the coming years.

	A cold bright morning five years ago, but this time the morning Crewe-Carlisle train is the EWS 6C02 with 37114 in charge. Followed by more assorted traffic under the bridge at Docker.

	Over five years ago the Malcolm's train generated a different sort of excitement with the prospect of a pair of 37s working at full throttle. 37609+37611 growl through Hest Bank on 25.8.2003.

	Another grey and uneventfull day this end of the WCML so a look back at the traffic five years ago. This compilation of clips recorded over a 90 minute period in the vicinity of Grayrigg on 17.12.2003 shows the variety of traffic to be expected, not including the loco hauled passenger trains.

	40135 and 40145 are featured in today's clips from an ELR diesel gala in 2004.